1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to label assemblies and methods of making the same. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a label assembly that has both a product label and a separable static cling reminder label. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a method of making a label assembly. In still another of its aspects, the invention relates to a method for servicing an automobile with a windshield in which the oil is changed and a static cling layer is applied to a windshield with date/mileage sensitive information recorded.
2. State of the Prior Art
Static cling labels are used as reminders to a vehicle owner for oil change purposes. The static cling labels cling to the inside surface of an automobile windshield and have written information as to when the next oil change is due in terms of mileage and/or date. These static cling labels are applied at the time of an oil change.
Similar types of information are placed on the inside of a door of the vehicle or, alternatively, on an oil filter canister. The oil filter canister will have a product label indicating the type of filter that is installed in the filter canister. These labels typically have a slip agent or anti-blocking agent incorporated in an external varnish which covers the printed label to prevent marring of the label prior to installation of the label on the product. These slip agents and anti-blocking agents make the surface fairly slippery and avoid surface abrasions due to inadvertent rubbing of the surface with hard parts. These varnishes provide a slippery surface for laminates as well and typically do not hold laminates that do not have adhesives on them.
The U.S. Patent to Longtin, issued Aug. 2, 1994, discloses an assembly of a web substrate and a plurality of release liners having static cling labels thereon for dispensing the static cling labels. The release liner is described as a polycoated bleached liner or a white tag liner. The release liner is said to be discarded after the static cling layer has been applied to an intended surface. The polycoated bleached liner and white tag liner are usually coated with a slip agent or anti-blocking agent to form a slippery surface which does not hold the static cling layer well.
According to the invention, a label assembly comprises a paper stock or similar label material having an upper surface printed with at least one of product and service information and a varnish coating the printed upper surface. The varnish coating is preferably a raw polymer varnish without any slip agent or anti-blocking agent. A static cling label with data entry indicia is mounted to the varnished upper surface of the product label. The product label has an adhesive on a lower surface and is typically mounted to a backing web with a release agent, which typically is provided in roll form.
In use, the label assembly is peeled from the backing layer and applied to a support surface such as a canister or a doorframe. The static cling label is peeled from the varnished surface of the label and applied to another surface, for example, the inside surface of a windshield. Typically, data is written on the static cling label before peeling the static cling label from the product label.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the product label has indicia indicative of an oil filter and the static cling label has indicia for entry of mileage and date of filter change information.
Further, according to the invention, a method of making a label assembly comprises providing a label stock material having a printable upper surface and a lower surface adhesively secured to a backing layer with a release coating. The label stock material is printed with product or service information on an upper surface. Preferably, the upper surface of the label stock material is coated with a raw varnish without any slip agent or anti-blocking agent. A web of static cling material is laminated to the printed upper surface of the label stock material and an upper surface of the static cling web is printed. The static cling and paper stock webs are die cut to form labels and the excess label stock and static cling label are removed from the backing layer. The backing layer with the adhesive laminate is rolled into a roll of stock material.
Still further according to the invention, a method for servicing an automobile with a windshield, in which the oil is changed and a static cling layer is applied to a windshield with date/mileage sensitive information recorded, comprises the steps of providing a label assembly including a product label having on one side a pressure sensitive adhesive and on another side product or service indicia printed thereon. A static cling layer is releasably mounted on the other side of the product label over the idicia. The static cling layer has printed recording indicia on one side thereof. The label assembly is applied to one portion of the vehicle visible to a service person, for example a filter canister or a door frame. Information, for example, mileage and date, is applied to the static cling layer. The static cling layer is then applied to the windshield of the automobile.
In one embodiment of the above method, the product label has indicia indicative of an oil filter and the static cling label has indicia for entry of mileage and date of filter change information. In a preferred embodiment of the above method, the other side of the product label has a raw varnish finish to enhance adhesion of the static cling label to the other side of the product label. The raw varnish coating has essentially no slip agent or anti-blocking agents incorporated therein.